5790 Bellaire in Lakewood North

Perhaps you’re looking for a more modern house in a nice quiet neighborhood. If so, you should check out this listing in Lakewood North.

“This house is a fabulous one-of-a-kind contemporary design on a 199-foot deep levee lot,’’ said Maureen Matthews, the listing agent with Latter & Blum Realtors. “It was designed by Arthur Q. Davis, the renowned modernist architect who also designed the Super Dome.”

The house has a ton of curb appeal with its winding path to the front door, nicely clipped grass, large palm tree and still larger oak tree.

The floor plan is open and airy with plenty of glass which lets in plenty of light, wide wooden floors, ceiling fans and space, space, space.

“The family room has pickled cathedral ceilings and a fireplace,” commented Matthews. “It also opens to the kitchen which has a Wolfe dual fuel range.”

The kitchen itself is a dream of shiny stainless steel appliances and pristine white cabinets. It has granite counter tops, a built-in microwave and an easy-to-clean tile floor. It opens onto the family room with its exposed beams, ceiling-to-floor windows which offer plenty of light, huge pocket doors which offer plenty of privacy and a stunning view of the private patio and back yard. There is also an extra-large laundry room with extra storage.

“The playhouse at the rear of the property can be used as a private home office, art or exercise studio, workshop, or clubhouse for the kids,” said Matthews, “and there’s lots of living space that can be used in a variety of ways – formally or informally.”

Upstairs, the master suite includes a vent-less fireplace, two large closets, a wet bar area in its own sitting area and room for a private study or exercise room, all opening onto its own balcony with a view of the rooftops of Lakewood. Best of all, its bathroom offers double sinks with granite counter tops, lots of light over its mirror and an absolutely huge walk-in closet.

“This house also has lots of storage including a 30-foot walk-in attic which could be built out to include some storage and a home theater/media room,” pointed out Matthews, “and there’s a 30-foot gated, climate-controlled doggie room under the stairs.”

Architect Davis included plenty of amenities when he designed this house. “There is an outdoor shower, two wall safes and a ten-camera monitored security system,” said Matthews. “I love this house myself and think that whoever buys it is going to be very lucky.”

Lakewood North, where this house is located, is a part of the Lakeview District. Its boundaries are Veterans Memorial Boulevard to the north, Pontchartrain Boulevard and the Pontchartrain Expressway to the east, Last, Quince, Hamilton, Peach, Mistletoe, Dixon, Cherry and Palmetto Streets to the south and the 17th Street Canal to the west.

For decades Lakewood Country Club operated in the neighborhood, predating most residential construction and bestowing its name upon the developing area. With the finalization of the I-10 and I-610 in the 1960s, much of Lakewood’s golf course was expropriated for the sprawling I-10/I-610 interchange. Lakewood Country Club relocated to the Algiers neighborhood, on the West Bank of the Mississippi River, and the remainder of the golf course was developed as the Lakewood North and Lakewood South subdivisions. The former clubhouse remained visible from I-10 for years and its last use was as the main building for the now-closed New Orleans Academy. The clubhouse was ultimately demolished to make room for a LDS Church, itself demolished in the aftermath of catastrophic flooding occurring in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.